The Globe and Mail stated taht FSWC lost $2.62 million CDN for 2003. This is an improvement over a loss of $6.3 million in 2002. http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet...0303/SPORTS03//?query=Fox+Sports+World+Canada
slow but steady... hopefully by 2005 they could break even, maybe profit by 2006 (get some fans from the Germany WC)... FSWC will pick up ratings as more people get cable boxes too, I'm sure. So 2006 at the latest to be out of the red sounds reasonable.
Interesting to see that Xtreme Sports and FSW Canada will eventually make it (2006 sounds about right), but that WTSN, which received most favored treatment by CRTC with digital "must carry", is now out of business. No amount of political backing will help an entertainment product if not enough people want to consume it. == What will be interesting to watch for 2004-2005: will EPL be exclusive on FSW Canada (which is owned by Global TV), or will Rogers Sportsnet still be able to get a piece of EPL? Rogers Sportsnet appears to be preparing for the loss of EPL now that it has sublicensing deals with both Gol TV (UEFA Cup) and Setanta Sport (English FA Cup). (FOX owns 20% of Rogers Sportsnet.)
The problem with WTSN was that it had to pay high prices for the programs it put on the air. It also had to pay the same for programs that it created. WTSN lost a great deal of the ad revenue that it ahd from the start. Hence it went OOB. The problem is that to get FWSC, you have to own either a digital labour outlet or have a satalite dish. Ratings have been looking good for matches on Sportsnet. No doubt that Fox would want to keep one foot planted firmly on each side. The La Liga matches hasn't had much consistancy. Some matches are avaiable only on other regional stations. Others are avaliable only on Sportsnet Digital. They also only show one or two UEFA Cup games at a time. This leaves FSWC with plenty of wiggle room. They also have exclusive rights to many league broadcasts.